This application claims priority to Italian Application No. IT 102017000090844 entitled “Apparatus and Method for Locking a Storage Tank Above a Scale During Transportation,” filed on Aug. 4, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Many vehicles come equipped with systems that utilize refrigerants, such as air conditioning systems, for example. The refrigerant (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane-R-134a, for example) contained within such systems may need to be supplemented, recycled, or removed on occasion. In order to remove or add the refrigerant, refrigerant recovery and delivery units can be used. To meet certain recovery standards, or to add refrigerant, such refrigerant recovery and delivery units can measure an amount of refrigerant that has been removed from or added to a vehicle.
Refrigerant recovery and delivery units can be equipped with a storage tank for storing refrigerant. In order to determine the amount of refrigerant that has been removed from or added to the vehicle, the storage tank and any contents thereof may be weighed to determine the mass of refrigerant within the storage tank using a scale system that measure the weight of the storage tank and its contents. In some cases, the storage tanks and scale systems can be prone to vibration or movement during transportation of the refrigerant recovery and delivery unit from one location to another. In addition, if the vehicle transporting the storage tank and scale system within the refrigerant recovery and delivery system encounters a bumpy ride, the storage tank and scale system can be jostled or experience jolts. These conditions can lead to damage inflicted on the scale system. For example, under these conditions, the storage tank can impact a load cell within the scale system, thereby damaging the load cell.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a system that helps to prevent damage to the scale system when the refrigerant recovery and delivery unit is being transported from one location to another.